The present invention relates in general to an improvement of fuel consumption of an internal combustion engine, and particularly to a method of and apparatus for improving fuel consumption of an internal combustion engine by way of applying water as a substantial part of fuel to be fed thereto.
There have been proposed a variety of approaches for adapting water in the consumption of fuel oil in an internal combustion engine in use for an automobile and the like. The majority of such approaches are related to a so-called water-addition method for the purpose of promoting fuel combustion in the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, thus intending to reduce the generation of noxious substances in the exhaust gases from an engine. An appropriate quantity of water mixed with such admixtures as methanol or hydrates is fed in an atomized state into a combustion chamber of an engine together with fuel-air mixture so that they may be combusted in the combustion chamber thereof. However, such a water-addition method, no matter how it may be adapted, has not been successful in an improvement of a fuel mixing rate or, in other words, in a substantial curtailment of fuel consumption. If a rate of cold water to be admixed to the fuel mixture is increased once, it is known that proper operation or combustion in the combustion chamber of an engine is considerably impaired.
In addition, it is inevitable that if cold water is admixed to the fuel mixture in the combustion chamber of an engine, there is observed such disadvantages as wear or abrasions in the interior of the combustion chamber of an engine. It is considered that such disadvantageous wear of the combustion chamber is attributable to the fact that an extra-high energy of combustion is needed and occurs in the combustion chamber to get cold-water content in a mist or fine particle state in the mixture fully decomposed during a combustion stroke of an engine which is actually only a short period of time. In the case where pure hydrogen is applied in the combustion chamber of an engine, it is apprehended that there would occasionally occur an explosion of hydrogen in the exterior of an engine, which requires, therefore, extra means of caution against such a risk. In addition, such pure hydrogen would be a major part in the operation and maintenance cost of an internal combustion engine.
In consideration of the disadvantages which have been inherent to the conventional water mixing processes and which are still uncorrected, it would be advantageous if an improved method of admixing water to a fuel mixture for an internal combustion engine, and an improved apparatus therefor, may be made available or practicable.
The present invention is essentially intended for overcoming all such disadvantages of the prior art.